


She Comforts Them Sometimes

by Visionsofdazzlingrooms



Category: blue bloods
Genre: F/M, Linda gives comfort, Linda needs r&r, Linda takes care of the reagans, Some Episode Tags, Surprise Party, Through the Years, Two Shot, but that’s it - Freeform, from comfort to stitching them up, leisuring, like thanksgiving episode, request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27542695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visionsofdazzlingrooms/pseuds/Visionsofdazzlingrooms
Summary: After years of being everyone’s support and anchor, Linda needs a day of doing absolutely nothing all by herself.
Relationships: Danny Reagan/Linda Reagan
Comments: 23
Kudos: 4





	1. Comfort And Consolation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Hellfire32](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellfire32/gifts).



> Hello, all! 
> 
> This is going to be a two shot, because it’d be way too long for one chapter. It was requested by my fellow Linda stan, Hellfire32. It’s dedicated to her, and anyone else who noticed Linda did everything for them, and hardly got any thanks

2008

"He's an asshole!"

"Not exactly the comfort I was looking for, Linda," Erin responds sarcastically, dramatically plopping her head onto her folded arms over the table. 

"No, seriously. He's an asshole. First of all, a guy must be insane to break up with someone who's got your legs."

The brunette peeks out of her small arm cave. 

"Second, he's jealous!"

"Jealous?"

"Yes. Jealous. He's divorcing you partly because you're back at work, yes?"

She nods pathetically, but keeps the angry look on her face. 

"And everyone knows you're a better attorney. And because you're better, you get better cases, and the better the case, the better they pay you."

"Linda, that's not-"

"Doesn't matter. What matters is that you are obviously too good for him." Linda crosses her arms. "You are! And you can get any guy."

"But I don't want any guy. I want Jack."

"No, Erin, you don't!" She stands and urges her sister in law to do the same. "You, Erin Reagan, are smokin' hot. Any guy would kill to go out with you. Enough with this nonsense about Jack. You don't deserve him." She plunks her hands on her hips, "now. Are you ready to conquer the world?"

"No."

"Are you ready for ice cream and fries from a fast food joint?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go." She links arms with her, leading her out the door. 

~~~~~~~~~~~  
2005

Linda sits awkwardly next to Frank on the couch. He's holding a glass of whiskey, staring forlornly at the fire. She bites her lip, trying to find something to say to him. "You were her world, y'know."

He looks at her, and fourteen years ago that might have intimidated her. His face is forlorn and there are bags under his eyes. 

"She really loved you. She used to tell me about the little things you did for her. Like holding the door-"

"Every gentleman should do that for a lady."

"Oh, I agree. But she really liked it. And how you'd hold her hand in the streets, or kiss her forehead when she had a headache. She once told me 'the small, little, seemingly meaningless gestures are worth so much more than the grand ones, the ones out in public'."

"She was always saying stuff like that."

"I think she was very wise for saying those things."

"Oh she was." Frank's voice is sad, but it's laced with sweet nostalgia and true love. 

"If it makes a difference, I see her in every one of your children. Danny's got her protect-my-family-at-all-cost attitude, but that's every parent's attitude...." Linda pauses, thinking of character traits. "Danny's got her smile and her soft laugh. Erin's got her determination, and Joe's got her warmth and sunshine. Jamie's got her intelligence and gentle nature. They all have her eyes, even though their eyes are different colors. They all have her warm, inviting, welcome-home eyes."

Frank smiles, "you've got something of hers."

"Me? I don't even have Reagan DNA."

"No. But you've got her heart. Mary always wanted everyone to feel happy, and was always there ready to listen and to give a hug. You're a lot like her."

Linda smiles with tears in her eyes and hugs her father in law. Mary Margaret Reagan will be deeply missed. 

~~~~~~~~~

2007

"They're so mean," Nicky cries to her Aunt. Her mother is stuck in court, and her Aunt and Uncle are looking after her for the afternoon. 

"I know, sweetie," Linda rubs her back. "But all they are is mean. And liars. And pathetic."

"You don't know them."

"No, but they have to have a pathetic little existence if they get pleasure from reading you. You, Nicky Reagan, are a beautiful young lady. You're not too tall or skinny. You're not weird looking, and whatever else those meanies said... you're the opposite. Because you are kind, compassionate, and beautiful. And nothing anyone says is going to change that." 

Linda brushes Nicky's hair away from her eyes. "Now, what say we forget about those bullies and do a little shopping?"

"Really?" Nicky wipes her nose. 

"Of course. You need cheering up, and I gotta buy your Uncle some new shirt. He's ruined the last three I've given him."

~~~~~~~~

1996

"Jamie, it's okay," Linda laughs lightly, following him around the empty kitchen. "It's really no big deal."

"But it is a big deal! They'll be mad!" The thirteen year old sulks. 

"Did ya study?"

"Yes, a lot and super hard."

"So they can't blame you. You were having an off day." She watches Jamie sink to the island stool. She sits across from him, "listen, I know you're your parents' favorite, even though they aren't supposed to have favorites. Therefore, they'll understand. It's not like you failed. You only got a C."

"Maybe to you that's not a fail. But to them it is!"

"Jamie, if C was failing, your big brother would've been kicked outta school a long time ago." Linda knows her new husband never had the best grades.

"He's different."

"Why?" She crosses her arms, taking a defensive stance. 

"Because of that... thing!"

"ADHD? You can say it, Jamie. And that is not a factor. Your parents will not be mad at you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Jamie, I'm sure. As long as you studied hard and did your very best, they couldn't possibly be mad."

"I don't think so, but okay...."

The next day, Linda asks about it. "So? Did they get mad?"

"No, surprisingly."

"See? What'd I tell ya?"

~~~~~~~~

2002

"Oh, Jack, it's okay," Linda tells her two year old after he scraped his knee on the sidewalk. "It's just a little scrape."

Jack shakes his head, continuing to cry. 

Linda kissed his cheek, "it's a little scrape."

"Mommy fix?"

"Mommy fix," she nods in agreement, grabbing the paper towels behind him. She tears one off and presses it to Jack's knee. "Hold this on your knee. I'll get the bandaids."

Jack sniffles and puts his hand over the towel. "Hurts."

"Oh, I know it hurts. That was a nasty fall you took, huh?"

Jack nods, the tears slowing down. He wipes at his cheek with his tiny fist, sniffing once again. 

Linda stands in front of him, and removes the paper towel. With a warm wash cloth, she cleans the blood off the knee, getting a better look at the scrapes. They are deeper than she thought, and she wonders what Jack had been doing. Getting the hydrogen peroxide from the first aid kit, she tells Jack. "This will sting just a little."

"No hurt!" 

"It'll be for just a second, I promise." Quickly she dabs the peroxide on his knee, and he hisses from the counter above her. She blows on it, making the stink go away. She then puts a big bandage on it, and kisses it. Mommy kisses make everything better. 

"Dank yoo," Jack hugs Linda's legs and slowly walks to the couch. 

"I love being a Mom."

~~~~~~~~~  
1997

She is actually doing it all by herself. All by herself, with no help from anyone. She's nervous and excited, and hopes all those bananas taught her something. When she sees the familiar face on the bed, she relaxes then tenses. Nausea hits again, but she pushes it down. 

"Hey," Joe smiles at her. "I didn't know you were gonna do it."

Linda shrugs, "me neither. What happened? Something about a gash?"

Joe takes the gauze off the side of his head, and watches his sister in law visibly wince. He sees her swallow thickly, "what? Too gory for you?"

"No, no. Just... I must be coming down with something. I feel super sick, then I feel fine again." She gathers the things for stitches. 

"You should get checked out."

"I will. If it's not gone by tomorrow, I'll make an appointment.... so what happened?"

"Apparently playgrounds can fight back. Jamie and I were at the park with Nicky, even though it's too cold, and I slipped on some ice. Smacked my head against the corner of the platform for the monkey bars."

"Ouch." She winces again as she pulls her gloves on. "Everyone else okay? Jamie? Nicky?"

"They're fine. Jamie's probably worried- you know him."

"Yes. This'll be cold," she applies the topical freezing gel. 

"What's that? The tropical shit?"

Linda laughs; she had been in the room for hands on training when her husband-then fiancé- had said that. "Yes, it's the tropical shit." 

They make light conversation, until Linda has to stitch the gash. She tells Joe to hold still and be quiet, and quickly sees the skin back together. "There you go." After a bandage is applied, she sends him in his way with care instructions and well wishes. 

~~~~~~~~~  
2011

Henry holds Linda's hand in the hospital room. "I owe you one."

She shakes her head, "no. You don't owe me anything."

"I do. You saved my life after all."

Linda shakes her head again, "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"You deserve something, though.... how about I take you to Broadway once I'm all better?"

Linda's not so sure about that. She doesn't need gratitude for saving his life. She'd have done the same for any family member. She'd have done the same for a stranger on the street who suddenly collapsed.

"Okay, but only if you let me watch out for you while you're getting better. I don't need gratitude. I would've done it for anyone- even a stranger."

"And that's why you're a special lady."

Linda smiles and wipes a tear from her eyes. 

~~~~~~~  
2003  
Danny rocks their baby, trying to get him to shush. Sean's been crying for ten minutes straight, at two in the morning to boot. Danny just needs Sean to be quiet, so Linda could get some sleep. 

The past three weeks Sean had been fighting a nasty head cold, then got a chest infection, then an ear infection. He'd been running Linda ragged, and now that she could sleep, he is wailing. 

"Shut up!" Danny tries, annoyed with the baby. 

Linda sleepily enters the room at that point, and, without talking, takes Sean from Danny. Sean, of course, immediately calms down once in mommy's arms. 

"I tried to get him asleep. He just wouldn't shut up."

"'S'okay. Go sleep," her voice is tired as she rocks Sean to sleep. 

"You need your sleep, too."

"'M'okay. Really. Go."

~~~~~~~

2009  
Linda walks down to the basement, needing to do laundry. She needs to busy herself with mundane tasks so her mind doesn't go where it wants to dwell. She slows down as she hears muffled sounds, and her heartbeat picks up just a little. She knows her husband is home, working out, which is his way of running from his problems and thoughts. Not exactly healthy, but she knows it helps to get the frustration and anger out. She’s glad the anger’s directed at the punching bag, and not at the family. He would never hurt them, she knows, but he does snap at them. 

Linda walks in to the basement, hands in fists by her side. She cocks her head as she almost tiptoes towards the corner where the punching bag is hanging. She’s surprised to find her husband sitting on the floor, boxing gloves haphazardly discarded in either direction. Heart braking sobs are coming from him, and she doesn’t hesitate to drop to her knees. 

Linda puts a hand on his shoulder, and he immediately turns to her, hugging her tightly, gripping her light mint-green shirt. She has no words right now; what do you say to someone who’s brother was brutally murdered? 

She wants to tell him it will be okay, but it won’t be. Not really. She wants to tell him that Joe loved him, that he looked up to him. But he won’t believe it, not now anyway. So she rubs his back and kisses the top of his head, not saying a word. She holds him till his crying stops, and he seems emotionally drained. 

Linda wipes away some drying tears. She wants to say something, but she doesn’t know what. “Want some water?”

Danny nods, violently rubbing at his eye. So they walk up to the kitchen, and drink the ice water in quiet solitude. 

“It’s going to get better,” Linda says, looking at the floating ice. “It really is, I promise. But it’ll be a bit, and in the meantime, I’ll always be here for you. If you wanna talk or cry or... whatever. I’ll be here.”

Danny reaches across the table and laces his fingers with hers. “Thank you.”

She nods, “anything for you.”


	2. I Am Leisuring

2013

Being home on a Friday afternoon feels weird. Being home all weeks feels weird. Stupid suspension. How can he be one of the best, yet continuously get suspensions? Damn impulsive gene. 

Danny tosses the keys into the tray by the front door, and walks to the kitchen. Where's Linda? She has a day off from work today, which is nice, because he's not working either. He wonders if she wants to get some dinner. The kids are at a friends house for the weekend, so he and she have the house all to themselves. Which usually means something great, but he has a sinking feeling Linda isn't well. 

"Linda?" He calls out, wondering where his wife is. He quickly searches the downstairs and calls to the basement. When no answer comes, he takes the stairs to their bedroom two at a time. He finds her in the bedroom, lying on the bed. Her phone is hooked up to the blue tooth speaker, and, once again, Donnie Wahlberg is loudly declaring his love for his cover girl. 

Danny walks up to the bed where Linda's lying, her arm over her eyes, and her phone on her stomach. He picks up her arm, "what is it that you're doing?"

"I am leisuring."

"Leisuring?"

"Yes," she takes her arm off her her eyes. "Y'know, leisuring. I am leisuring. You are leisuring. She is leisuring. We are leisuring. Y'all are leisuring. They are leisuring."

"I'm glad you can conjugate verbs." He chuckles. 

"If I wasn't so dead set on doing nothing, I'd conjugate something else." She gives him a wry smile and smiles when he pecks her cheek. 

"So," Danny climbs over her to his side of the bed. "Why are you leisuring?"

"I deserve it." Linda simply states. 

"Oh?" 

"Yes. Do you know how taxing it is to take in the family's emotional crap?"

"Uh..."

"Don't get me wrong- I'm happy to be there for them, and I'm willing to do whatever they need, but every once in a while, I'd like a thank you." Linda sighs, dropping her right hand to her stomach. "No, now I'm being selfish."

"No, you're not. You have every right to want a thank you. It shows that we appreciate you."

"But it's wrong for me to want something in return-"

"No, it's not, baby," he swings his leg over her, bracing his arms on either side of her. "Now, if you'll let me," he kisses her neck. "I'm gonna show you my gratitude in the best possible way."

Linda smiles and blindly pushes her phone onto the night stand. 

*************

Three days later, Linda bites her lip as she drives to Frank's house in the evening. What had happened? Erin had frantically called her, saying something was wrong. She had hung up before Linda had gotten the whole message. 

Who is hurt? Is it bad? It has to be, or she wouldn't be driving to Frank's house at six at night. She hopes the injuries aren't too bad, whatever they are, and prays everyone is okay and alright. Her heart is pounding in her chest as she tries not to think of 'what if's'. 

Linda arrives at the big house and pushes the door open, expecting the worst. She is met with dark hallways, and an eerie feeling sets over her. "Hello? Frank?" She walks towards the kitchen, "Henry?" The kitchen lights are off as well, and she hesitantly turns them on. 

"Surprise!!"

Linda puts her hand over her heart, "what's this?" She's smiling as she sees the family all standing together. 

"It was Dad's idea!" Sean smiles. 

"We got to talking," Danny takes her hands. "And we realized you do everything for us."

"Let us lean on you when we're down," Jamie puts in. 

"Give us pep talks," Erin adds. 

"Fix our cuts," Jack smiles. 

"You do everything for us, and we don't thank you enough. So we got together, and made all your favorite foods." Henry explains, motioning to the food. 

"I- I'm flattered, guys, really, I am, but-"

"You do everything without even expecting a thank you." Nicky states, "why? You keep on doing it, even though everyone sorta ignores it."

Linda shrugs and simply says, "cause that's love. I do it all for you, and I keep doing it for you, cause... I love you guys. All of you. I don't need gratitude for showing my love."

"Yeah, well, you're gonna get it," Danny pulls her to the dining table, and makes her sit. "You don't do anything. We'll do it all." He leaves her with a quick kiss, and soon the food is coming in. 

There is her (and Frank's) favorite pasta, linguini in clam sauce, her favorite garlic bread and salad, her favorite fancy wine, and her favorite dessert- chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. After the big dinner, they watch a movie of her choosing, then everyone gets ready to go home. 

"We really do appreciate you," Erin hugs Linda. 

"You're the best Aunt," Nicky hugs her Aunt, and Linda had half a mind to say she's the only Aunt. 

"You ever need anything," Jamie takes his turn to hug her. "I'm the guy."

"Thanks," Linda chuckles lightly. 

She gets hugs and a nice message from everyone, and she actually feels tears in her eyes. She never expected anything like this- ever- and secretly she hopes it's a new pattern. She can go without the food, but she hopes everyone will say 'thank you' more often. 

For a while, things do change. Everyone makes a conscious effort to thank Linda, or to help her with something, just things to let her know she's important. It goes on for about three months, and then it slowly stops. Linda knows it's too good to be true, so she's not at all surprised when they stop showing her gratitude. 

"It was nice while it lasted." It takes two big events for the family to start really caring about and for her... it takes two events for most of the family, anyways. Danny has always been good to her, better on some days, and the kids are good too. But something happens to her relationship with the family along the way... everyone- except Jamie, the boys, and Danny- sort of forget about their promise. It takes two gunshot wounds to get Nicky and Henry to remember the promise, and it takes almost dying, being in a coma for weeks, and a tiny bit of brain damage for Frank and Erin to remember their promises. 

Linda knows they love her, but sometimes she questions it. She pushes those thoughts aside, because, if she hadn’t met Danny, she’d be just like her mother... which is a terrifying thought. Danny had saved her, but so had all the Reagans. The least she can do is do everything for them, without expecting thanks. 

At least her family and Jamie keep their promises. But Jamie is never the problem, it’s everyone else she needs to keep in line. For a while she truly feels appreciated by the family, until something happens. It must be her fault, why else would they change attitudes? 

Linda brushes those thoughts off as well; she’s thankful for her in laws, even if they’re a bit much. She’s thankful for her family- her husband and sons- they’re the joy of her day. She’s thankful for her life, so she can’t really complain. And she makes a point not to complain too much. After all, she loves every one of the rascals.


End file.
